Method and apparatus for monitoring characteristics of a flow path having solid components flowing therethrough

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring a flow path having plurality of different solid components flowing therethrough. For example, in the harvesting of a plant material, many factors surrounding the threshing, separating or cleaning of the plant material and may lead to the inadvertent inclusion of the component being selectively harvested with residual plant materials being discharged or otherwise processed. In accordance with the present invention the detection of the selectively harvested component within residual materials may include the monitoring of a flow path of such residual materials by, for example, directing an excitation signal toward of flow path of material and then detecting a signal initiated by the presence of the selectively harvested component responsive to the excitation signal. The detected signal may be used to determine the presence or absence of a selected plant component within the flow path of residual materials.

1. A combine harvester comprising:
 a feeding system located and configured to gather an amount of plant material as the combine harvester traverses a field; 
 a threshing system located and configured to receive the plant material from the feeding system and thresh at least one selected plant component from the plant material; 
 a cleaning system located and configured to substantially separate the at least one selected plant from residual plant material; 
 a monitoring apparatus located and configured to detect the presence of the at least one selected plant component from residual material in a defined flow path, wherein the monitoring apparatus includes at least one excitation source configured and located to direct an excitation signal toward at least a portion of the defined flow path, and at least one sensor configured to detect a signal initiated by the presence of the at least one selected plant component responsive to the excitation signal; and 
 a structure over which the defined flow path passes, the structure including a reference pattern for detection by the monitoring apparatus, wherein the reference pattern includes indicia representative of the at least one selected plant component. 
 
     
     
       2. The combine harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a fluorescent signal emitted from the at least one selected plant component responsive to the excitation signal. 
     
     
       3. The combine harvester of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one excitation source includes a light source configured to emit light at a specified wavelength. 
     
     
       4. The combine harvester of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one excitation source is configured to emit light at a wavelength of approximately 375 nanometers. 
     
     
       5. The combine harvester of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one excitation source includes a strobe light. 
     
     
       6. The combine harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a photodiode. 
     
     
       7. The combine harvester of  claim 1 , further comprising a source filter associated with the at least one excitation source located and configured to define a frequency of the at least one excitation signal. 
     
     
       8. The combine harvester of  claim 7 , wherein the structure over which the defined flow path passes is substantially transparent. 
     
     
       9. The combine harvester of  claim 8 , wherein the substantially transparent structure is formed of a material comprising quartz glass. 
     
     
       10. The combine harvester of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller operably coupled with the monitoring apparatus and configured to receive a signal generated by the at least one sensor representative of the emitted signal detected thereby. 
     
     
       11. The combine harvester of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further operably coupled with the feeding system and configured to alter an operation of the feeding system responsive to the signal generated by the at least one sensor. 
     
     
       12. The combine harvester of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further operably coupled with the threshing system and configured to alter an operation of the threshing system responsive to the signal generated by the at least one sensor. 
     
     
       13. The combine harvester of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further operably coupled with the cleaning system and configured to alter an operation of the cleaning system responsive to the signal generated by the at least one sensor. 
     
     
       14. The combine harvester of  claim 10 , further comprising a separating system configured to provide substantial separation of the at least one selected plant component which may be remaining in the residual material subsequent the threshing of the plant material. 
     
     
       15. The combine harvester of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further operably coupled with the separating system and is configured to alter an operation of the separating system at least partially responsive to the signal generated by the at least one sensor. 
     
     
       16. The combine harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the defined flow path includes a flow path between the cleaning system and a discharge area of the combine harvester. 
     
     
       17. The combine harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one selected plant component includes grain. 
     
     
       18. The combine harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one selected plant component includes internodal stems. 
     
     
       19. The combine harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring apparatus is further configured to determine a specified characteristic of the at least one selected plant component. 
     
     
       20. The combine harvester of  claim 19 , wherein the monitoring apparatus is configured to determine the moisture content of the at least one selected plant component. 
     
     
       21. The combine harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one selected plant component comprises a plurality of selected plant components. 
     
     
       22. The combine harvester of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of selected plant components comprises grain and at least one other selected plant component. 
     
     
       23. The combine harvester of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one other selected plant component includes internodal stems. 
     
     
       24. The combine harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one charge-coupled device (CCD) array. 
     
     
       25. The combine harvester of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one charge-coupled device (CCD) array. 
     
     
       26. The combine harvester of  claim 10 , further comprising a source filter associated with the at least one excitation source located and configured to define a frequency of the at least one excitation signal. 
     
     
       27. The combine harvester of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a fluorescent signal emitted from the at least one selected plant component responsive to the excitation signal. 
     
     
       28. The combine harvester of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one excitation source includes a light source configured to emit light at a specified wavelength. 
     
     
       29. The combine harvester of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one excitation source is configured to emit light at a wavelength of approximately 375 nanometers. 
     
     
       30. The combine harvester of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one excitation source includes a strobe light.